Draco sighed and stretched. His back and legs were stiff from sitting in the chair next to Harry's bed for the last five hours. He was pretty sure he was going to strangle Potter when he woke up. "Only a Gryffindor would drink an obviously botched potion to figure out what's wrong with it," he muttered. "Why on Earth you thought it was a good idea, I'll never know."

"…trust you," a groggy voice mumbled.

Draco froze, his heart in his throat. Draco stood and leaned over the hospital bed. "Harry?"

Harry's eyes struggled open. Draco handed him his glasses, which had spent the last five hours sitting on the table next to the bed.

Harry groaned and put them on, struggling to sit up. Draco helped him into a sitting position and handed him the glass of water Madam Pomfrey had left.

Harry took a sip of water and cleared his throat. "What happened?" His voice was much clearer.

"You were a dumbass, that's what happened."

"I'm always a dumbass, Draco, but that doesn't explain why my throat hurts."

Draco sat down on the edge of the chair. "You're throat hurts because you were vomiting the potion." Draco took a deep breath to steady himself. "And blood."

Harry looked down at the glass in his hand for a few moments before saying, "Okay."

Draco looked up at him. "I am so sorry." He cringed as his voice broke on the last syllable.

Harry cocked his head to the side. "Draco, this isn't your fault."

"I made the potion, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you totally botched the potion on purpose." Draco opened his mouth to argue, but Harry kept going. "I watched you make that potion, Draco. You triple-checked everything that went into it. I don't know why it wasn't right, but I do know it wasn't your fault."

"How could you possibly know that? What makes you think that I didn't do it on purpose?" Now Draco was agitated. Harry was laying in the Hospital Wing, had thrown up blood, and was trying to make him feel better.

Harry stared levelly at him, taking in the guilt in his eyes and his rapid breathing. "You wouldn't be still be here."

Draco's mouth opened, but no words came out.

Just then, Harry's stomach growled and provided a welcome distraction. Harry's cheeks turned pink. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"You did miss lunch and dinner and only ate a piece of bacon at breakfast," Draco remarked.

"How did you notice that when you were talking to Parkinson and Zabini the whole time?"

Draco smirked. "I'm a man of many talents, Potter."

"What time is it?" Harry pulled back the sheets and blankets and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

Draco swung his legs back onto the bed. "You," he said, pointing at Harry, "are going to stay here while I," he pointed at himself, "go to the kitchens and get us both dinner."

Harry didn't argue, he didn't think he had enough energy to make it all the way down to the kitchens and back.

Draco unstoppered the Blood-Replenishing Potion and handed it to Harry. "Drink that while I'm gone."

With a swish of his robes that Harry was sure was taught in How to be a Slytherin 101, Draco left the Hospital Wing, the door creaking closed behind him. Harry sighed and grimaced at the smell of the Blood-Replenishing Potion before downing it.

Despite Harry's protests that Draco should go back to his dormitory for the night, the stubborn Slytherin slept on an empty bed next to Harry's and the next morning found the boys sitting on Harry's bed, Draco sitting cross-legged at the foot, uniform rumpled, and laughing at one of Harry's stories about the Weasleys.

Madam Pomfrey emerged from her quarters and hurried over. "I told you that you could return to the Slytherin Common Room last night, Mr. Malfoy," she said, casting a scanning spell on Harry. "It's just as well you're both here. The Headmistress sent an owl and she and Professor Snape are on their way to speak with the pair of you."

Draco and Harry exchanged looks.

Madam Pomfrey looked between them. "Oh, don't look like that you two. I'm sure everything's fine." Draco noticed she didn't look too convinced at her own words.

At that moment, the doors to the Hospital Wing opened and Headmistress McGonagall strode in. Her hair was full of fly-aways, which was unusual, but other than that, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary.

"Why is it when something happens, you always seem to be involved, Mr. Potter?" she asked exasperatedly as she stopped in front of Harry's bed.

"I don't go looking for trouble, Professor. Trouble usually finds me," Harry answered.

McGonagall sighed. "Well, be that as it may, Mr. Potter, Professor Snape has some concerning news to share. With both of you," she said, looking at Malfoy.

The doors to the Hospital Wing opened once more and Professor Snape walked in, robes billowing out behind him. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Draco sitting on the end of Harry's bed, but he didn't say anything. "I've extensively tested your potion and luckily, the Invigoration Draught was prepared correctly, however, it interacted poorly with the residue from a Baneberry Potion."

Draco was puzzled. Baneberries were very difficult to come by since the Ministry classified them as highly dangerous, which meant their growth was highly restricted. Not to mention the Baneberry potion itself was a very potent poison and considered part of the Dark Arts. "How on Earth did a potion like that get into our cauldron?"

"The best guess we have is that someone was trying to target you, Mr. Malfoy," Headmistress McGonagall said, her lips pursed in a worried line. "Professor Snape told me he hadn't written down the students he paired together, which means whoever did this knew which cauldron you would be using but not that you would be paired with Mr. Potter."

"Since Baneberry is very difficult to brew and even harder to come by, only a handful of wizards would have the skill necessary to attempt this." Severus's expression was neutral, but Draco could tell he was irritated that someone had managed to not only infiltrate the Potions classroom and tamper with a cauldron right under his nose, but also seemed to be targeting his godson.

"I told you it was a good thing I was the one to drink it." Harry looked at Draco with a wry grin.

"Yes, it seems to be fortunate your hero complex can be depended upon, Potter," Snape drawled. "However, the mix of Baneberry and Invigoration Draught is estimated to remain in your system for several weeks. As we don't fully understand the symptoms you'll experience, you'll need to return to the Hospital Wing every evening for observation."

Harry sighed. "Yes, Professor."

McGonagall gently laid her hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'll ask the House Elves to move your things." Then she and Professor Snape left.

"See, I told you everything would be fine," Madame Pomfrey said as she walked back into her office.

"Well, it could be worse, I s'pose," Harry said, getting out of bed and shrugging his robes on.

Draco looked at him incredulously. "You've been poisoned, Potter."

Harry shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time. I have eaten Luna's cooking y'know."